Wednesday 1 April 2015

Occult 45 - Human Abhorrence 7" (Review)


Album Type: 7Inch
Date Released: 10/03/2015
Label: Broken Limbs

‘Human Abhorrence 7”/DD track listing:

1). Plaster Saint
2). Tyranny Stomp
3). Chainsaw Vigilante
4). PPFO
5). Wizard of Gore
6). Succubi
7). Death with Diginity

Occult 45 is:

John Hauser | vocals
Dean Sykes | guitar
Chris Kennedy | bass
Jason Dost | drums

Review:

Philadelphia has already blessed the world with cheese steaks and the Fresh Prince, but apparently this isn't enough as its gone and vomited out Occult 45 and their latest release, 'Human Abhorrence'. It's rough, it's fast, its 13 minutes long, and the musicians apparently don't know what scales are. Opening track 'Plaster Saint' churns out in a series of power chords before hurtling along at quadruple speed, finally returning to earth at a more polite bpm for its second half. The gears shift down again by the end for a beautiful mush of noise before returning to breakneck fury for 'Tyranny Stomp'. This is a band that knows the value of dynamics, as far as can be used in a genre such as grind at any rate.

It's grind with a certain degree of restraint. Not the kind of restraint that screams 'we all suffer with lack of testosterone and get excited about the property ladder', but rather the kind that makes this usually brash genre much easier to digest and enjoy. Grind is usually like a filthy dog on a chain that is constantly barking at top volume, Occult 45 make that dog shut the hell up occasionally so you can actually like it.

Maybe this is the reason the band, for all their speed and sandpaper textured sound, don't sound pissed off like so many of their peers do. Their stumbling violence sounds more like a drunken wild night than vitriol against the latest social ill to blame the world's problems on. It's straight up fun. It's basically the soundtrack to the coolest, crustiest party you've ever been to, where the only partner you're likely to wake up next to the following day is a severed goat's head. If you think that sounds appealing then give 'Human Abhorrence' a spin. I mean if that's the case you should probably seek help, but at least I'll be right there with you.'

Words by: Jake Mazlum

‘Human Abhorrence’ is available here

Fore more information: